The New Deal and 1930s Texas

• Essential Questions:– Describe civil rights

movements and identify its key leaders, such as LULAC

– Analyze the political, economic, and social impact of the Great Depression on Texas

– Identify ways Texans have adapted to and modified the environment

The New Deal Begins• 1932 – Franklin D.

Roosevelt won the presidential election, with almost 90% of Texans supporting him.

• 1933 – FDR starts reform programs called the “New Deal” to get America back to work and out of the Great Depression.

• “The First 100 Days” he orders all banks to close to determine the strongest to stay in business.

The New Deal Begins• Vice President John Nance

Garner, a former Texas congressman, helped push New Deal programs in Congress.

• Another Texas congressman, Sam Rayburn, became Speaker of the House.– He proposed the Securities

and Exchange Commission (SEC) to restore confidence in the stock market.

New Deal Programs• FDR’s New Deal created agencies to deal

with many problems from the Depression.– Alphabet Agencies - government agencies

that came to be known by the first initials of their names.

New Deal Programs

• FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) – gave funds to states and local agencies for unemployed people

• CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) – provided outdoor employment for young men and helped preserve resources

• NYA (National Youth Administration) – hired high school and college students to perform clerical and maintenance jobs.

• PWA (Public Works Administration) – built bridges dams, schools, and other structures of value to the state.

• WPA (Works Progress Administration) – hired 600,000 Texans during the Great Depression

New Deal Programs

• New Deal programs tried to slow down soil erosion to help farmers in the Dust Bowl regions.

• New planting and contour plowing techniques helped farmers protect the topsoil from blowing away.

• The federal government also paid farmers to plant trees as windbreaks and reduce production of crops in effort to drive prices up.

• 100th anniversary of Texas independence in 1936

• Celebration held at Fair Park in Dallas (where annual State Fair is located)

• Exhibits highlighted Texas History and proudly displayed examples of Texas products and culture

• Also, the San Jacinto Monument was erected on the battlefield to the east of Houston and various museums built

1930s Governors: Sterling and Ferguson

• Miriam Ferguson defeated Ross Sterling in 1932 for governor

• 2nd term as governor was controversial– Fired many TX Rangers– Used pardon power to

release criminals

• Asked FDR to lend farmers money to help make up for lost income from low cotton prices

1930s Governors: Allred and O’Daniel

• James Allred 1935– Reorganized TX Rangers– Helped found Board of

Pardons and Paroles– Created retirement systems

for state employees

• W. Lee O’Daniel 1938– Sales manager and radio

host– Wrote unofficial state song

“Beautiful Texas”– Unable to deliver on many

of his campaign promises

African American Rights

• Dr. Lawrence Nixon– African American Texan

physician who presented his poll tax receipt and tried to vote in the Democratic primary, but was turned away

– Filed suit to win the right to vote: Nixon v. Herndon (1927):The Supreme Court justices declared his rights under the 14th and 15th amendments had been violated

Mexican Americans Rights• League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

– Founded at Corpus Christi in 1929 with Ben Garza as the first president

– Worked for Mexican American rights in court system, hiring, and education

• The School Improvement League was founded in 1934 to improve school facilities for Hispanic children